Improvement in snow plows or scrapers for railroads



E. TRENHOLM.

Car-Track Clearer.

Patented June 23, 1863 Inventor:

Witnesses:

@nas/* UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD TRENHOLM, OF VASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

IMPROVEMENT lN-SNOW PLOWS OR SCRAPERS FOR RAILROADS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 38,996, dated June 23,1863.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD TEENHOLM, of the city of Washington, in theDistrict of Columbia, have invented certain new and Improved Devices forRemoving Snow, Mud, and other Obstructions from Railroads; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full and exact description ofthesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part ofthis specification, in which- Figure l represents a verticallongitudinal section ofthe front ofalocomotive, illustrating myinvention. Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are perspective views of the successiveScrapers, hereinafter to be described.

Similar letters of reference indicate correspending parts in the severalviews.

My said invention consists in the use vof Scrapers of peculiarconstruction which may be applied at the front or rear or underneath alocomotive or car to remove snow, mud, and other obstructions from therails of any railroads, including those used with horsecars in thestreets of cities.

In order that others skilled in the art to which my invention appertainsmay be enabled to fully understand and use the same, I will proceed todescribe its construction and operation.

In the accompanying illustration of my invention, A represents a framesupported on WheelsB Rand adapted for attachment in front of alocomotive.

C may represent a cow-catcher of any suitable form and construction, andD an endless slatted apron,revolving in the direction shown by thearrows, to carry up and back any matters which may be caught by thecow-catcher C and deliver them upon a shelving board E, by which theyare discharged clear of the track on either side.

F F2 F3 are beams extending from side to side of the frame A for theattachment of the helical springs G G G, on which are mounted Scrapers HI J, of peculiar construction.

The front scrapers, H, may be made of any width and have a formanalogous to that of the mold-board of a plow. They rest upon the uppersurface or tread of the rails in nearly horizontal positions, with theirfaces and lower edges presented obliquely outward, as shown in Fig. 2.These Scrapers will thus effectually remove snow, stones, and othersmall or light substances from the surface of the rails and throw themclear of the track.

The second scrapers,l,are prov-ided on their inner sides with iiangest', and are notched at their lower edges, as shown in Fig. 3, so thatthey will extend below the top or tread of the rail to a distance ofabout three-fourths of an inch on the outside and an inch and a quarteron the'inside. The office of these Scrapers is to complete the cleaningof the tops ofthe rails, and,further,to remove snow for some distancebelow it on the outside, and on the inside as far down as the iiange ofthe wheel extends. They are also provided with pins or points fi',projecting down to a sufficient distance on the inside of the rail tokeep thescraper in correct position on thetrackin passing over switches,frogs, &c.

The third and last Scrapers, J, are formed with guidesj,resting upon thetop of the rails, while the main partj,whieh has a form analogous tothat of the scraper H, but presented inward instead of outward, extendsdown to the base of the rail on the inside,as represented in Fig. 4.This scraper is especially applicable to street-railways. It is to beattached to the car either in front or rear of the Wheels on cach side,and will operate very effectually to remove all snow, mud,sand,and otherobstructions from the rails, entirely avoiding the necessity forhand-shoveling and sweeping now so commonly practiced on city railways.

To cleanse the track more perfectly,a yielding brush may be secured inthe interior ofthe mold-board j,projecting out at the open lower end ofthe same, so as to sweep the surfaces of the rails as the car passesalong.

By the employmentofhelical bars or springs G G G as the means ofattaching the Scrapers to the framing the said Scrapers may be placedperpendicular] y, or presented slightly forward, and remain in easy butclose contact with the surfaces of the rails, so as to operateefi'ectuall y without danger of injury from catching or breaking. In theevent ot'any immovable obstruction or abrupt projection catching eitherof the Scrapers, the elastic attachment permits it to yield withoutviolence or injury, and when the obstruction is passed the scraper is atonce restored to its original position. The spring attach ments likewiseafford the necessary vertical play to the Scrapers, so that they may bekept constantly in contact with the surfaces of the rails in passingover inequalities, or when the Scrapers are attached to the truckframesabove the springs of the latter.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, anddesire to secre by Letters Patent, is-

The helical springs G, constructed and ernployed in the manner describedfor the attachment of Scrapers of any suitable form toa framing by whichthey are carried.

The above specification of my improved device for removing snow, mnd,and other obstructions from railroads signed this 5th day of March,1863.

EDWARD TRENHOLM. Witnesses:

OoTAvIUs KNIGHT, CHARLES SMITH.

